Remembering George Routon—Newberry’s Ambassador

When my husband and I retired and moved to Newberry, we personally experienced the true meaning of the “Town with Friendly Folk” when we met George and Agnes Routon. Undoubtedly, our experience was not unique. Over the past couple of decades, the Routons have shared their home and their love of Newberry with many who also have their own treasured stories of George and Agnes, and who, like Mike and myself, miss our friend and wish to celebrate his memory.

George’s death this past January came as a tremendous shock. He had called to check on Mike before he and Agnes left on their trip to Texas. With his usual concern for others, George took the time to reach out. As our conversation ended, I shared something funny that had happened, and George laughed. If you knew George, you know the joy of hearing his laughter, and that is how I choose to remember George—the friend to many, the humanitarian with a wonderful sense of humor and unmistakable twinkle in his eyes.

George Woodfin Routon was born in Manchester, Georgia on August 2, 1942. While serving in the United States Air Force, he met his life’s love in Arkansas. She was in nursing school at the time. It was a blind date. George had already begun his insurance career while still in the military. It was as if he had a vision of the importance of planning for the future even as younger man—certainly a worthy attribute for the financial planner and insurance broker that he would become. George and Agnes Mazzanti were married on October 17, 1965, and together they raised a family of two sons, Christopher and Benjamin, and one daughter named Julia. Moving through the years as George’s career advanced, they ended up being transferred to Columbia in the mid-1990’s, and it was that move that brought them to Newberry.

After moving to Columbia, George and Agnes decided to take their time to find the right community and the right home within a 30-mile radius of George’s work. After searching for about two years, on a Sunday afternoon’s ride, they discovered Newberry and fell in love with it. The day after the “for sale” sign went up on the house on Main Street they were to call home, the Routons purchased it. It was the perfect house for George and Agnes—historic but ideal for entertaining—charming but not pretentious. They could see the potential in the home for its great bones, and the work began. Agnes has told me that they moved their bed from room to room as they remodeled the home from the 1840’s, and their endeavors paid off. Beautifully appointed and incredibly welcoming, the home has been on the Christmas Tour of Homes several times and has served an untold number of gatherings and meetings. Always willing to share their home, when deciding to add a carport, the design expanded into an outdoor extension of the home with its rock fireplace and area for entertaining. Later named the “Woody Shed” after their cat, the event space and lovely grounds with its fishpond and bridge have been the location of Newberry Opera House Guild meetings, various functions, and numerous dinners.

In paying tribute to George and remembering his love of Newberry, there are a number of boards and leadership roles I could mention, but I do not believe that is what George would want to be remembered for. George was a people person. He radiated with joy at other people’s accomplishments. You only had to see George’s face when showing his “Aggie’s” craftsmanship and detailed work in creating her miniature model homes to see this for yourself. He truly found joy in promoting other people. Mike describes George as the true Rotarian—a man of integrity who valued friendship and worked to make the world a better place. George knew how to open doors for other people to go through.

George was an incredible lifelong learner. A glimpse into he and Agnes’s library showed the vast subjects that intrigued him. For example, he wanted to understand flight, so he pursued his desire to learn to fly. A certificate hangs in the Routons’ central hall that shows he achieved and landed a solo flight, but he wasn’t interested in becoming a pilot. The joy was in the experience of learning.

On a personal note, George and Agnes graciously and generously took on the dream of The Newberry Museum. It was George, who early in 2014, took Mike and me to Columbia to meet Mark Hammond, the South Carolina secretary of state. George realized that the organizational aspects needed to be addressed. We discovered that George and the secretary of state were friends, a fact that should not have surprised us as George, himself an executive, worked as easily with national and state leaders as he did with any of us on the local level. Attending meetings and providing advice along the way, George remained in the background; but his guidance and vision were essential to the museum’s establishment and success.

It was Agnes, who with George’s support and assistance, created the model of the farmhouse from the mid-1800’s that is on display in the Children’s Exhibit at the museum. George was quick to tell you that Agnes was the designer and that he was “just the electrician,” but I know that he and Agnes traveled far and wide to find the right furnishings for the model. To add light, they attended a special seminar in Atlanta to learn how to backlight the model without sacrificing its historical accuracy. Items were hand wrought, and their shared vision is today enjoyed by all who have the pleasure of peering into the miniature rooms, out-buildings, and grounds lovingly created and generously shared.

When it came time for the installation of the exhibits at the museum in the fall of 2019, Agnes literally stepped into the cases to help create compositional unity with her innate sense of design. George would stop by to check on our progress, and as items were even mentioned as being needed, they magically appeared. Their teamwork exemplified what is needed for a happy marriage. Without either attempting to take center stage, they truly shared in the joy of each other’s accomplishments.

Over the months following George’s death, many contributions were made to The Newberry Museum in George’s memory. Needing a staging and work area, complete with cabinetry and equipment, the funds have been used to create the George and Agnes Routon Work Room. I find it extremely fitting that the space where work goes on—the behind-the-scenes area—should carry their name. The administration, staff, and board of the museum are eternally grateful.

So many things could be said of George. There is hardly an organization or cause in Newberry that has not benefitted from George’s leadership and generosity. Not to diminish his many humanitarian endeavors, awards and achievements, his distinguishing legacy coming closest to home is that he was our friend. He loved Newberry; and his laugh, wit, and wisdom are sorely missed. We remember you, George Woodfin Routon, and we thank you. We Newberrians carry you in our hearts, and we smile remembering your saying that “hair is highly overrated.” Our lives were enriched by your presence and friendship. Your beloved Newberry is a better place for your having made it home.